October 1928

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUBERT WORK. SECRETARY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STEPHEN T. MATHER, DIRECTOR YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES VOL. VII

October 1928 NO.1 o

"LEARN TO READ THE TRAIL-SIDE"

YONFMITE NATIONAL PARS, Calif: x928

This is the official publication of the Educational Depart ment of Yosemite National Park It is published +.h montl.. by the National Park Service with the cooperation of the Yosemite Natural History Association, and its purpose is to supply dependable information on the natural history and scientific features of Yosemite National Park. The articles pub.ished herein arc not copyrighted as it is intended that the-i shall he freely used by the press. Communication should be addressed to C P Russell, Park Naturalist, Yo <em'te National Park, California F.

1'. L.F.AVITT

Acting Su•3erintendent

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published monthly olume V1I October 1925 Number io

YOSEMITE BIRDS IN OCTOBER

By Selma Werner To those who know Yosemite late July so many had left the valonly in the summer time, when its ley that our lists were small. rushing rivers and plunging waterWandering through the meadow, falls hold the eye, there is somewe saw a flock of birds settle down times a hesitancy about seeing it at before us. I stood spellbound. It any other season. But they need seemed as if a piece of that gorfear no anti-climax, as I found out geous October sky had fallen into in early October when I entered the quivering bits of bird life. Can anyvalley during a light snowfall, the thing be as soul-stirring, as breathfirst of the season. The tang in the taking as a first glimpse of the air, the frost on the ground outlinmountain bluebird. We saw fifty of ing each tiny leaf and twig, the them hovering and plunging, posing autumn coloring painting the slopes on the fence posts, fearless, seemand the cliffs powdered with snow ingly conscious of their beauty and made me forget the lack of water— proud of it. A few Western bluein fact everything but the sheer birds made a charming contrast, beauty of the place. but their pose was not so defiant, Wondering how many of my their color not so daring. For the feathered friends were about, I first time, I realized why the bluewent on a walk with Mr. and Mrs. bird was chosen as a symbol of Charles Michael, who showed me happiness. not only old friends, but new. More In the study of birds there is alnubdued were the notes, but we ways something unexpected; a new heard towhees and woodpeckers, friend appears, or an old one comes juncos and white-crowned sparrows, out in a new role. It is this which while a Cassin purple finch either gives it its charm and it never completely forgettig the season or grows monotonous. too contented in the sunshine to My visit to the valley gave me care, gave us an exquisite whisper many lovely memories but, just besong. cause of them, I envy those who A list of twenty-seven birds have before them their first glimpse Seemed remarkable to me, for in of the mountain bluebird.

DOE PURSUES COYOTE

By Joseph Dixon Yosemite, Oct. 20.—As we enour car, with the doe not over ten tered Yosemite Valley at 7 o'clock feet behind him in close pursuit, one morning recently we were aswith ears laid back and front feet tounded to see a doe in hot puroutstretched. We were so close to suit of a coyote. If the procedure the coyote that the deer did not has been reversed, we would have have time to cross the road ahead thought the incident perfectly norof our car. However, the moment mal, but the rare spectacle of a doe we were past, she again started afchasing a coyote was a marvel in ter the coyote with renewed vigor. our eyes. The two animals were The logical explanation of this encountered as we rounded a sharp episode is that the doe probably had bend in the road near the base of a newly-born fawn hidden nearby, El Capitan. The coyote was first and because of this fact she, in sighted running directly across desperation, had attacked and the main highway just in front of driven off the predatory coyote.

A. STRUGGLE WITHOUT REST

By George M. Wright Shall the Jeffrey pine atop Sentof men. nel Dome know no surcease from Root-anchored to a cleft in the earthly blasts and mortal crudgranite, with a crouching, sinuous fixion? Must there be ever one trunk whose every line is beauty more cross to bear? born of greatest strength, the lone A monument to endurance and perguardian stretches yearning arms sistence, symbolic of patience and to the Sierra divide and beckons to defiance, is this solitary figure; a come on. A weathervane of mute tree of fame and individual personeloquence, it records the prevailing ality, whose pictured likeness wind of centuries. graces the walls of many a home. A hiker's head looms on the hoIt is beloved of many who may rizon of curving granite. To the never stand by its bowed head or tree it is but one more wheezing, wonder at the fateful stir of wind puffing conqueror of the dome. To among its branches, only to wonder the hiker this tree, yes, this very more sigh deeply, too, and, so wontree which has defended a throne dering, scramble back to lower upon the mountain through the long earth again. winters when man has not so much The Sentinel pine is the type exas dared brave the summit, is but ample of those hardy, mountaineeranother curiosity. ing trees which cautiously rear Perhaps the hiker will scramble their determined forms right up with cruel spiked boots to the topagainst the very timber line in spite most branches, already bent tortuof winter's worst—there to give ously low with many burdens, and shelter to bird and beast and, ever from this vantage wave his puny and again, to the more enterprising arms aloft with magnificent ges-

ture. Then he is most like the Alpiner (who probably climbed all fabled sparrow. This foolish bird, but the last 200 feet in an auto) will thinking to win renown in a soarproudly inscribe his name in the ing contest, concealed himself beprotective sheath of bark. neath the eagle's pinion and then These are futile acts, thoughtless overtopped that lordly avian's and inspired by vanity. Yet they greatest effort with a few flutterbid fair to rob this tree of life itself. ing strokes of his own feeble wings. "National Park" means wild life Or, perhaps stirred by longings protection. To the faithful Sentinel, toward immortal fame, the vain it has thus far meant just one more cross to bear.

SUMMIT MINING

By F. S. Matthes 3203 Nineteenth street, N. W., part, and is most entertainingly Washington, D. C. Carl P. Russell, written. park naturalist, Yosemite National I was particularly interested bePark, Calif. cause some twelve years ago I My Dear Mr. Russell : I have encame across the old cabins above joyed your recent article in the the Gaylor lakes and also those at Sierra Club Bulletin on "Early Minthe head of Bloody canyon, and I ing Excitements East of Yosemhave wanted to know ever since ite." It is a valuable contribution how far back they really date. They to the history of the mountain reare older, I see now, than I surRion of which the Yosemite forms mired.

Near the "Golden Crown," I actually has been worn back. chanced to pick up an old, weatherwhere not covered by the paint of beaten signboard that was lying on the letters, to a depth of one-eighth the ground and that looked, it of an inch or more, and, as a re seemed to me, fully as ancient as suit, the Iefters themselves now the cabins. It was intended to. distand out in high relief. It Is rect people to the Devil's'Post Pile, painted on both sides, the letters but the miner or early tourist being white on one side and black guide who did the painting was on the other. Some of the pain! neither an artist nor a good hand is gone, but the letters can still be at spelling, and the effect, in con made out because they are raised sequence, is ludicrous. And, withal, The Devil's Post Pile must have it seemed to have an air reminis been known ever since any mining cent of those brave early mining was done in the vicinity of Mamdays, so I took it along and exmoth; hence there is good reason pressed it to Washington, wrapped to believe that by 1880 some sort in burlap. It has hung ever since of trail existed from the "Golden on the wall of my study, where it Crown" to the Devil's Post Pile. is to my Boy Scout friends the out In any event, there is no doubt standing treasure of all my collecin my mind that the signboard far tion of curios from the Far West. antedates the creation of the Yo-The reason why I hold the signsemite National Park. I shall now

board to be as ancient as the cabins treasure it more than ever. in Mono Pass is that the wood is in Sincerely yours, a similarly weathered state. It

F. E. MATTHES MY FEATHERED DINNER GUEST

By Florence Anne Sumner My close friendship with Mr. chance to renew our acquaintance Tanager began one July afternoon It was on a beautiful evening just shortly after my arrival in the vatat sunset. ley. It was wash day, and I was With a whir of wings, Mr. Tanascrubbing diligently at one end of ger lighted on the clothes line and. the table. A basket of figs had turning his head back and forth. been left on the other end. There kept his sparkling eyes on my plate was a slight noise above me, and as if longing to be invited to dinlooking up, I saw a beautiful bird ner. perched on a branch overhead. In "Come on," I whispered in an enanother moment he had alighted on couraging tone, accompanying my the edge of the basket and was words with a push of my plate fargreedily pecking at the figs. He had they out on my knees. For I was no fear of me; so I decided to make sitting on the couch in back of my friends. tent enjoying the sunset while I School work, however, kept me consumed my evening meal. from camp a great deal of the time "Come on," I repeated, and this so that it was not until two or time leaned back, resting on my three nights later that we had a elbows so that I could remain quiet

and not frighten my visitor. No A moment more he paused, for other invitation was needed. Mr. he evidently did not want much to Tanager hopped lightly to the eat, and there was a question in his ground at the foot of the couch. A mind as to which would be the second hop brought him to the foot greatest delicacy, jelly, graham of the bed, and with a third he was crackers, or cream cheese. After a on my knee. There he sat unafraid second's consideration, he decided and surveyed the frugal repast laid upon the last. With a quick movebefore him, for I had nearly finment, he took a dainty beakful of ished my meal. cheese and, hesitating but a moHis delay gave men an excellent ment, he was off to the tree tops opportunity to take in every detail and gone from sight, perhaps takof his costume. One might have ing home the groceries to the fambeen carried back in thought to the ily. It was not many minutes becourt of Queen Elizabeth, so brilfore my friend returned, and this liant was his habit. He harmonized time no coaxing was necessary. He perfectly with the beauty of the alighted on the clothes line and sunset and the field of ' yellow Heleflew directly to my plate. Here he nium in the background. His suit did not hesitate either but took anwas a glossy black, the vest lemon other.beakful of cheese and off he yellow, and on his head he wore. a flew. jaunty cap of orange. I had 'been I hoped he would return, but it told that Mr. Tanager was a gay.. was several days before I saw him, dresser, being much more brilliantand never again did he become so ly attired than his wife, who seems friendly, though several times he to prefer the duller colors. Thereate what was thrown to him, and fore, I was very glad to have an other campers reported visits to opportunity for close inspection. their dinner table and pantry.

MISPLACED BIRDS

By Dorothy Hack In order that the members of the Camp, on August 3, while passing Yosemite School of Field Natural through a stand of young LodgeIlistory would feel perfectly at pole pines, we heard a call note home, in spite of being at unacwhich was very familiar to those customed altitudes during their–reof us from Southern California and cent High Sierra trip, certain birds, the ' great valley. However, hearcommonly found in the Upper Soing it at this altitude (6200 feet), noran zone, decided to take the we all thought we were making a long flight to the higher altitudes wild guess when we cried, "Westao that these students might recogern Gnatcatcher," but discovered Mae a few familiar forms among shortly that we were correct in out.ill the strange ones. guess. Another surprise was in En route to Lost Valley, above store. for u's a few minutes later the Little Yosemite High Sierra when, in passing a large shrubby

growth of manzanita, what should feet). However, the possibility of we hear but the familiar call notes there being a mourning dove as of a small flock of Oalifornia bushhigh as that was confirmed when tits. They were apparently enjoyCarl Russell, park naturalist of ing their surroundings as much as Yosemite National Park, and we, for they were making a large George Wright, assistant park natamount of noise for a small group uralist, reported having seen a of such tiny birds. Grinnell and mourning dove on the preceding Storer, in "Animal Life in the Yoday at Boothe Lake (elevation 10,semite," record having seen both 000 feet). A single bird of this

the gnatcatcher and bush-tit at this species is reported in Grinnell and elevation, but they are not found Storer's "Animal Life in Yosemite " there commonly. as having been seen at Vogelsang While resting at the foot of the Lake (10,500 feet) on September 4, cascade which empties into Lake 1915. These birds are rarely seen Merced at its upper end on the folin the Yosemite Valley, being charowing day (August 4), we noticed acteristically restricted to the Upa flycatcher perched on a dead per Sonoran zone..mb overhanging the stream. At A lone great Hue heron wancasual observation it seemed too dered up to Tuolumne river as far dark and large for a western wood as Glen Auli i and was there ob pewee, and a closer examination served by a few members of the proved it to be a black phoebe. Drs. school. Apparently, the bird had Grinnell and Storer state that ocheard of the good fishing in that casionally black phoebes are seen region. The great blue heron has in the Yosemite Valley—and here been seen very occasionally as high was one at an elevation of 7100 as this (7800 feet). feet! Reminding us that we were about And still these were not all the to return to lower altitudes, a westAnd meadowlark was flushed from misplaced birds we found on our the grass on the shores of Lake hike. Imagine the surprise of the Tenaya (8141 feet) shortly after members of the group when such sunset on August 10. Only one pair a common bird as the Brewer had been observed in the valley blackbird was found invading the during the summer, even 4000 feet haunts of the leucosticte and whiteelevation being too high for this crowned sparrow. At the base of common bird of the great valley. Mt McClure, on August 6, at an Here was one braving the cold elevation of almost ll,000 feet, a nights at this altitude. An occaflock of these birds were found sional meadowlark has been seen feeding in the snow. at Tuolumne Meadows, according In Tuolumne Meadows, near the to former observations. Sierra Club Lodge, on August 9, a Finally, the pallid wren-tit, a bird bird was seen in flight which was of the chaparral, was heard on the recognized by some members of the Snow Creek zig-zags while the group as a mourning dove. The group was descending to the valley leader of the party, Dr. H. C. floor on the last lap of their hike Bryant, did not see the bird and This bird is found quite often al was inclined to be somewhat skepthis point, because of the warmth tical, never having seen the mournand chaparral-like growth found oil ing dove at such an altitude (8600 this sun-baked north slope.

VERMIN CAMPAIGNS

By H. C. Bryant A leading California sporting a violation of a fundamental pringoods store has recently advertised ciple in conservation. The game under the caption, "The more you warden's work is greatly increased hunt now, the more shooting next as a result of such advice, for talefall." A picture of a hawk hoverphonic reports soon come in that ing over a quail visualizes to the shooting is going on during closed reader the next lines in the ad, "It's season. always open season on vermin. Its Such advertisements are "wolves the vermin, not the shooters, which in sheep's clothing." They purport are making our game birds scarcer to be advice from &arne conservaeach year. Every sportsman and tionists. The real issue sought is a everybody should declare war on means of selling ammunition durthese destroyers of birds and eggs, ing the slack season. and bowl them over with shotgun predatory species have a real use or.22 rifle every chance he gets." To many, such injunctions sound in nature. They should not be like good advice. Please note, howblack-listed and slaughtered wholeever, that these advertisements apsale even if they do destroy game pear in spring rather than in the species. Furthermore, few hunters fall, when a man has a right to be distinguish between good and bad In the field with a gun. Picture a hawks, and violate the law when man out hunting hawks in spring they kill red-tailed and other valu- (when he cannot hunt game beable kinds. cause of closed season). Will not But whether one defends or mathe quails' nests he and his dog ligns predatory species, there is no disturb be a greater loss than the defense for this move to put huntbirds taken by the hawks? How ers in the field during the breeding about safety for breeding birds and season. Undisturbed breeding animals? The discharge of guns grounds form the best insurance of In game covers in nesting time is desired increase.

YOSEMITE FALLS WILL ONLY BE RESTING

By Lois M. Perry There comes a time in the experimined to disperse the very drops as once of every living thing when it they descend, the Yosemite creek. must rest, when it must relax and as it traverses the floor of the vatbe quiet. The beautiful Yosemite ley, seeks a gentler course. Its song Fells with their happy cascades becomes a slow, soft movement, and their deep plungings are no and its source of supply seems to exception; they, too, often seem to be checked entirely. But with the become very still, even lulling coming of night and its cooling themselves into a silent slumber. darkness the stream takes heart, At midday, during the weeks at the its falls are renewed, and the dawn clone of a warm, dry summer, when is greeted once more by the vision evaporation is at Its greatest and of a descending strand of crystal. when diverting winds seem doterThe falls continue for another day

However, as the autumn days go grandeur of the spring freshet. The by, the strain may become too fronds of delicately pointing, fivegreat, the hours of rejuvenation fingered maiden-hair fern, reaching may not be long enough. The falls out from high sheltered crevices may fail to reappear with the cornalong the water course would remg of a new day; then it is that mind the most skeptical visitor the visitor in the valley must keep that spray had blown there before nis trust in the completeness of the and that it surely would again. pattern of things. He must believe Even in the hollows of the distant that In time water-life will return valley walls one, by listening closeto the granite walls, he must know ly, night hear a caressing echo of that death cannot come to a thing the very boom of the falls in their so perfect and so lovely as the Yofullest. Semite falls. As he awaits their reMan, in his brief comings and appearance, h'e would do well to goings, must keep the faith; he search for the shadow of the actimust know that, as the Yosemite vity which earlier found such bold falls grow less and less and finally expression in the waterfall. disappear entirely, they are only 'i he dark, moisture-stained rock, resting and they will surely return the smooth, worn surfaces, the deep in all good time.—Lois Mayo Perry. water-cut basins would tell of the

THE INSPIRATION OF GLACIER POINT

Note--The following lines were composed by a group of several members of the class of 1928, Yosemite School of Field Natural History, and read on July 20 at Glacier Point Hotel as a part of the evening's program. The other guests at the hotel that evening were 165 delegates from Pennsylvania to the Sunday School convention held at –es Angeles First its rocks, And then its flowers, Then its birds that sing An open trail, A nature guide, Who names each little thing. A hike each morn, A lecture hour, The fire-fall from the rim, Awake our thoughts, Inspire our so rls, All bring us el )se to Him.

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YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK CALIFORNIA YOSEMITE MUSFU'

Dear Friend: Here are three good reasons why you should become a member of the Yosemite Natural History Association : 1. It will keep you in touch with Yosemite through "Yosemite Nature Notes". 2. It offers you opportunity to secure NATURE MAGAZINE, AMERICAN FORESTS AND FOREST LIFE, or both, at an unprecedented low price. 3. You materially aid a non-profiting Government educational activity (The Yosemite Museum and its attendant nature guide service) when you remit your membership fee. Please read a 04spie of "Yosemite Nature 'Notes", consider our purposes, and don't overlook the benefits of the combination offers with the American Nature Association and the American Forestry Associaion. Remit by check or money order. Cordially yours, C. P. Russell Park Naturalist